PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM SUNDAMAGE:
- Generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin, including lips.
- Wear protective clothing, such as long sleeves, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, if possible.
- Seek shade. The sun's rays are strongest between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Use extra caution near water, snow and sand because they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, increasing changes of sunburn.
- Avoid tanning beds.
SUNSCREEN:
Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Be sure to apply it correctly – studies show that most people don’t! A typical adult should use approximately one ounce to cover the entire body and a typical child, half an ounce. Apply it onto dry skin 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every two hours. Wear it daily, even on cloudy days.
Use gels or aerosol sprays for oily or acne-prone skin – and lotions and creams for sensitive or dry skin. Sunscreen sticks can be used around the eyes, lips and ears. Some new products contain helioplex, an ingredient that allows sunscreens to last up to five hours on the skin if applied appropriately. For heavy sun exposure, don’t rely on makeup foundation that contains sunscreen.
SPF describes a sunscreen’s ability to block UVB rays (they cause sunburn and skin cancer), not UVA (they cause premature aging). But you need protection from both. Products made with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide physically block UVB and UVA rays – products with Parasol 1789 (avobenzone) and Mexoryl also cover the UVA and UVB spectrum.
|
